From the Liveblog of
Saturday, February 7, 2026
Pentagon cutting academic ties with Harvard amid Trump crackdown on US colleges
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
WASHINGTON — Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth says his department was ending professional military education, fellowships, and certificate programs with Harvard University, marking the Trump administration’s latest escalation against the school.
President Donald Trump’s administration has cracked down on top US universities, including Harvard, over a range of issues such as anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian protests, diversity programs, transgender policies, and climate initiatives.
“Starting now and beginning in the 2026-27 school year, I am discontinuing all graduate level Professional Military Education (PME), all fellowships and certificate programs between Harvard University and the War Department for active duty service members,” Hegseth, who himself holds a master’s degree in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School, says on X.
The policy will apply to service members enrolling in future programs while those currently enrolled will be allowed to finish their courses, Hegseth says.
He also adds that the Pentagon will evaluate similar relationships with other universities in the coming weeks.
Rights advocates have raised free speech, academic freedom, and due process concerns over the government’s actions against universities.
A Harvard spokesperson directs Reuters to a page on the history of the university’s ties with the US military that says Harvard has played a “significant role” in America’s military traditions since the nation’s founding.
File this under: LONG OVERDUE
The @DeptWar is formally ending ALL Professional Military Education, fellowships, and certificate programs with Harvard University.
Harvard is woke; The War Department is not. pic.twitter.com/0kpsvivtsQ
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) February 6, 2026
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
The Times of Israel Community.